APPENDIX G 405 



nest found on a small island near this point on July 20 contained 

 one egg. The bird was observed also at Caribou Island on 

 July 20; on other islands to the eastward on July 21 and 22; 

 near the Mountain Portage, where it was nesting, on July 24, 

 and near the eastern end of Great Slave Lake on July 25 and 26. 

 The bird was not common on Pike's Portage between Great 

 Slave Lake and Artillery Lake, but a deserted nest was seen near 

 Toura Lake, near the summit of the divide, where nearly typical 

 Barren-Ground conditions prevail. There being no trees suit- 

 able for nesting, the bird had placed its home in a cranny on 

 the face of a low cliff, where it was well protected from the ele- 

 ments. At our camp on Artillery Lake at the tree limit, a few 

 individuals were seen on August 3, and one or two deserted nests 

 in the stunted spruces showed that the bird had bred there. On 

 the occasion of our second stay on this lake during our return 

 trip, September 2 to 7, the bird was observed in greater or less 

 numbers nearly every day, several flocks being noted on Sep- 

 tember 6. It was observed also at Fort Reliance, September 

 11 to 17, and was especially abundant on September 14, when 

 migrating flocks aggregating several hundreds were seen. The 

 bird was also observed on several occasions, September 21 to 

 24, among the islands of Great Slave Lake during our west- 

 ward voyage. We noted it next on Slave River on September 

 29 and 30, and while ascending the Athabaska, saw it near Brule' 

 Rapid on October 22 and 23, above House River on October 25, 

 and near Calling River on October 30. 



Sialia currucoides (Bechstein). Mountain Bluebird. 



This species, not improperly styled the Arctic bluebird, was 

 noted along the road between Sandy Creek and Athabaska 

 Landing on May 13, when three individuals were observed. 



